A Matter of Security
by Draxor
Summary: Atlas was a cold place- and that counted for more than just the weather. Strict, regimented, and militant- the entire country seemed to live under a constant state of martial law. It's Hunter Academy was certainly no exception. Follows a young Winter Schnee through her trials at Atlas Academy and beyond.
1. Freezing

For many the kingdom of Atlas represented safety. A strict, regimented safety that often came at the expense of others… but safety nonetheless. From the perspective of one familiar with the more intimate workings of the country, however, Atlas appeared to be more of a temperamental explosive than anything else- due in no small part by the presence of the Pawns of the Red Queen. Thefts, kidnappings, assassinations- every time they struck it seemed like Ironwood was ready to launch a full-scale assault against an enemy they had yet to even find.

None of this was on Winter Schnee's mind at the moment- she had other things to worry about, after all. Like not getting killed during initiation.

Atlas Academy- one of the crowning achievements of the militant country that shared the same name. Here future Hunters and Huntresses would come to learn the skills needed to stand against the grimm- in this regard, it was no different from any other Hunter Academy. However, unlike every other school currently in operation, Atlas Academy gave its students partial military and security training and for all graduates a minimum of four years served within the ranks of the Atlesian Army was mandatory.

Winter already was aware of all of this, of course. Her father head drilled the information into her head more than a hundred times, she was sure.

Not that it would be enough to prepare her for just _how_ militant the place was. Nothing said 'strict' like being escorted by a group of armed guards into what would essentially become one's home for the next four years. Though, from the muffled sounds of uneasy coming from the other students around her, it appeared she wasn't the only one with that sentiment.

"Nervous?"

It took Winter a moment to realize that the question had been directed at her. Cocking her head to the side slightly, she locked eyes with a boy that appeared to be around her age, perhaps a little younger if his build was anything to go by. Brown hair, gray eyes- traits that were common enough in Atlas, she supposed.

"A bit." She admitted, nodding ever-so-slightly before redirecting her gaze forwards once more. She wasn't sure if their escorts would take kindly to too much chatter, and tried to keep her voice low. "You?" Winter asked in reply, watching the boy from her peripheral vision.

"Feels like I'm going to throw up." The statement was made without much emotion behind it- but the grimace on his face was more than enough to tell that he meant it.

"Please don't." Winter couldn't help but put up a grimace of her own at the thought of the boy getting puke on her.

"It was a-"

Any further conversation was cut off as the guards- which Winter now recognized as low-ranking members of the Atlesian Army- stomped to a halt in front of a large metallic door. They stood ram-rod straight, eyes forwards and guns held diagonally across their chests- silence permeating the air around them as they did so. The murmurs from the students were beginning to pick up again when the door opened- the sound of gears turning echoing out across the snow-covered courtyard. They had walked from the bullhead to the front door, and already most of the students had been cowed. She had to admit, Atlas certainly didn't waste time.

Once the door was fully open they were all corralled into the building, hallway after hallway passing them by as they were all led to their destination- a large, gray-white rotunda where a single man stood waiting for them. Winter swallowed hard. Even from the distance at which they stood she could plainly make out General- no- Headmaster Ironwood's robotic limb.

They stood there, at the edge of the rotunda- unorganized and fidgety, a far cry from the line of soldiers that were currently standing at attention behind them. Ironwood clasped his hand behind his back, his gaze washing over them. It made Winter seem so very small, a feeling she was intimately aware with given her father's-

The snow haired girl shook her head minutely, banishing the thoughts. Now was not the time.

"I have always felt that actions speak far louder than words," The General's voice cut through the air with all the authority of a sharpened blade. "That striking first is preferable to simply waiting for the inevitable…" Ironwood paused for a moment, his gaze boring into the gathered youths. "As Hunters, we are the first and only defense that the world has against the grimm, and as soldiers, we serve to defend against a far more terrible foe." A small frown etched its way onto his face as he continued. "Each other." He closed his eyes, and Winter felt a palpable sense of relief as he did so. "…With that said, I hope you come to view this academy as home, and that each of you will leave here stronger and more prepared to face the dangers of this world…" The man turned and began to walk away- the pneumatic door on the opposite side of the rotunda opening with a soft hiss. "Regardless of what form they take."

And then he was gone. Silence reigned once more- though it was for but a brief moment as one of the soldiers spoke. "You will be sleeping in the Atrium tonight, should you survive tomorrow's initiation you will be given proper quarters. I suggest you sleep while you still can."

And then they were gone too- the sound of their marching fading away in the distance as the door behind them closed once more. A long, agonizing minute passed before anyone started talking again- the students splitting into their own little groups as their voices returned to them.

"Good to know I wasn't nervous for nothing." The voice sounded defeated- though only in the most casual kind of way.

Ah. She recognized that voice.

"Well, at least you didn't puke." She managed to squeeze a little sympathy into her words, but for the most part she was amused.

"Don't tempt me Snowflake." His retort carried an air of seriousness to it that made Winter want to shiver at the implications. She _liked_ this dress, damnit! Her mind changed gears, however, at the bequeathed nick-name.

"Snowflake?" Her voice was questioning, one of her eyebrows instinctively arched.

"Well I can't just call you 'girl'- and with your white hair it was the first thing to come to mind." He actually had the gall to smirk at her- placing his hands in his pockets as he did so.

Winter rolled her eyes. "My name is Winter." She made sure not to make any mention of her family name- that was something she was trying to distance herself from, after all.

"Calico." The boy- Calico- answered in turn, extending a hand towards her with a look on his face that was somewhere between a lopsided smile and a grimace. Not that she had asked what his name was, but at least the boy had manners.

They shook hands. The eldest Schnee refused to acknowledge the traitorous part of her brain that noted- with some degree of delight- that his hand was smooth and warm.

 _Stupid hormones…_

When the lights finally went out in the rotunda many of its occupants were already sound asleep, and those that were not were on their way to join them.

Winter dreamed of snow, blood, and disappointment.


	2. Dashing

Winter didn't wake up sweating so much as she woke up screaming. It was a brief thing- the sound caught and then quickly strangled until it was a nearly inaudible whimper. Her eyes darted around the room in a panic, and she shrunk into herself slightly when she realized that her outburst had attracted a few odd looks. To the eldest Schnee's relief, however, it seemed that she had awoken rather early, and that the majority of Atlas's prospective students were still firmly entrenched in their sleep.

Winter had to bite back a curse once she got her breathing back under control. She could already hear her father's seemingly ever-disappointed voice rattling off admonishments in the back of her head. _Having nightmares already? Is your resolve really that weak? Perhaps you should just give up while you still can…_

The snow-haired girl scowled and threw and angry punch into her pillow. It didn't make her feel that much better. "Shut up, bastard…" Her voice was low- more of a mutter than anything else, but apparently someone had heard her.

"I haven't said anything yet?" The voice was one she was already familiar with, and also slightly confused.

Winter quickly pulled herself out of her inner ramblings at glanced up at the rather conflicted face of the boy who had introduced himself as Calico the day prior.

"Oh, er, sorry. I was," _Having an imaginary conversation with a disappointment of a father figure?_ She had to stop herself from facepalming. Right, because that's information you go handing out to people you've known for less than a day. She frowned as she considered her next words. "Just caught up in some bad memories."

Calico arched an eyebrow at that. There was a story there, he was sure of it. But at the same time he wasn't one to push people for answers- let alone when the answers might not be pretty ones.

The boy rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, clearly unsure of just what to say. "Eh, don't apologize. Not for something like that." He then moved to place his hands in his pockets- a nervous habit perhaps? "I mean, the past tends to creep up on us, yeah?" He offered a small half-smile, albeit a genuine one. "So no harm done."

Winter sighed in relief. She was worried that he would be one of those more self-centered types- the ones that she would often see at the various events her father 'invited' her to attend. Willfully ignorant and horribly mean spirited. People with more money than sense.

She gave Calico a small smile in return. Well, small mercies and all that.

Accepting that sleep was now no longer an option, Winter pulled herself up and out of what remained of her blankets, rolling her neck with a satisfied sigh as the tension accumulated from sleeping on the floor was released. While she may harbor a strong dislike for the needless opulence of her home, she swore to never offer that same scorn to her bed ever again.

"So," She began, cocking her head towards Calico who was pointedly looking down at a particularly interesting piece of floor as the snow-haired girl stretched, "Not that I mind the interruption, but what brought you over here, exactly?"

The young man seemed to relax a bit at this, his posture relaxing a bit as the conversation was now in territory he was familiar with. "Oh. You seemed kinda out of it is all. Didn't even bat an eye when the announcement to get our gear came on. Thought that maybe you were still half asleep or something."

Winter paused in her stretches and slowly looked around the Atrium. It was almost empty. Where the hell had all the time gone?!

She was in motion even before she herself realized it- grabbing Calico by the arm and dashing out of the now empty Atrium, running past the few that had just left ahead of her.

"O-Oi!" An indignant shout from a certain brown haired youth went unheeded as the Eldest Schnee sibling dashed down the corridors like a madwoman. He stumbled for a moment before finding his footing and matching her speed, her panic nearly infectious.

"You know where you're going, yeah?" He asked, though there was little to no hope in his voice.

"Absolutely." Her response was swift and sure. She had stored her stuff here just the day prior after all. How hard could it be to locate the locker room again?

* * *

Calico sighed, a frown on his face as he donned his gear- the slim-fitting bone-white Atlesian armor sitting quite snuggly over his clothes and a straight-sword lacking in any real form of ornamentation hanging from his belt- the weapon kept safe within its sheath.

They had made it to the locker room. And it only took twenty minutes of dashing around like stir-crazed grimm. Calico glanced up at the nearby wall clock and felt himself die a little inside.

"We're going to be late." He sounded a mixture of aggravated and resigned.

"We're fine. Plenty of time." Winter rebuffed him as she finished donning her own armor, a pair of rapiers with fine lines etched into the blades and triggers on each handle hanging from either of her hips.

"Saying something doesn't make it true you know." Calico deadpanned back, a ghost of smile- or perhaps a smirk- lingering on his face.

"It does if you do the thing you say you'll do." The smile she gave him was somehow… well, not unpleasant, or really cruel at all. Just… predatory.

Calico didn't even have time to gulp before his arm was in a vice grip and the two of them were hurtling down a hallway. Ah well, he could hardly fault her for her enthusiasm. Or perhaps it was desperation.

It wouldn't do to be late to initiation, after all.


	3. Briefing

**Hey everyone. Just thought I'd take a moment to apologize to everyone who had followed/ faved when I first threw this monstrosity up onto the site. The wait wasn't meant to be that long, but… well, life has a way of adjusting your priorities.**

 **Regardless, I'm back now. So, for both those coming back and those just stopping by alike- thank you for taking the time to read my writing. Even if it isn't exactly up your alley. :P**

 **-Drax**

* * *

They didn't walk into the auditorium. They didn't run into it either. It was something akin to falling while running a three-legged race: a mass of confused limbs and muffled sounds of agitation. Needless to say, they drew quite a bit of attention.

"Ah. Miss Schnee, Mister Dellinger, how good of you to join us." The man's voice was not one they were familiar with- it was mature in a way that spoke of experience rather than age, and held a frosty edge to it. From their position on the floor the pair was able to trace the voice back to its owner- a middle-aged man with silver hair and eyes that had the color and intensity of unyielding steel. The crest of an Atlesian Captain stood proudly on his chest plate. He was flanked on either side by Atlesian Knights- robotic soldiers that were said to be the next step in removing human casualties from war. It made for a rather intimidating sight.

Winter, in a motion that was nearly too fast to follow, shoved Calico away from her and leapt up to her feet, folding her hands behind her back and standing at attention.

Calico, by comparison- and possibly due to Winter's hastiness- was a disorganized mess. Although, to be fair, being shoved even further into the ground will tend to have that effect on a person. He managed a halfhearted two-finger salute as he climbed back up to his feet.

Their arrival, coupled with the Captain's words, brought more than a few stares their way, but the sheer presence of the man standing center-stage in the auditorium was enough to keep the mass of students cowed for the most part. Winter was thankful for this- she wasn't sure her pride could have taken such a blow had the entirety of the first-year student body saw her in such a state.

The general cleared his throat.

"Well then, now that we're all here…" The man threw a look in their general direction that, while not caustic, was most certainly pointed. "Allow me to introduce myself." His stance seemed to change then, becoming stiffer and more formal- more militaristic. "My name is Rust Karchov- and for the remainder of the time you spend here I will be your vice-principal." His steely eyes swept over the crowd, and a long pause followed as he did so. "…It is unfortunate, but due to reasons of state Headmaster Ironwood will be unable to join us for today's initiation test… But allow me to offer you these words of wisdom in his stead…"

Another long pause.

And then a sigh, which seemed to signal to the rest of his body that it could stop being quite so tense. His posture became an insult to the very word as he fell out of a ramrod straight military position and into a more comfortable slouch. Rust frowned and scratched his cheek.

"Alright, look. I'm not exactly what you would call a public speaker- that kind of stuff is Jim's game, so let me just be blunt." Despite the apparent change in personality his eyes remained as fierce as ever. "Not all of you are going to survive initiation. Not all of you are going to survive to the end of your first year. Even fewer will survive to the end of the second. You see what I'm getting at?"

The room was dead silent, but Winter could feel the sense of discomfort permeating the very air. She swallowed hard.

Rust closed his eyes and glanced down, as if in thought. "…So if any one of you is having doubts about this life you've chosen, it's not too late to back out. No one here will think any less of you for it- only a fool rushes headlong towards their own death after all."

Not a single person moved.

A sly, half-smile grew on Rust's face. "Heh. Alright then," He turned on his heal and started walking towards the back of the auditorium. "Let's get to work."

* * *

Calico couldn't help but think that, from where he was sitting, the world looked so peaceful. Endless fields of snow blanketed everything for miles around, forming a perfect unbroken sheet of crystalline white. Well, nearly perfect. The massive swirling clouds of darkness that were migrating herds of grimm kind of ruined the picturesque landscape.

The thrum of the bullhead's were a constant companion to his thoughts as his gaze shifted towards their destination: a frost-peaked mountain which was named, rather unimaginatively if you asked him, The Spike. According to Rust, a rather expansive set of ruins sat at the bottom of the mountain, and that was where their initiation would take place.

He shot a glance towards the snow haired girl sitting across from him.

"Nervous?" He asked, his own anxiety poking through.

"Yeah." She nodded in reply, hands gripping the handles of her rapiers tightly.

There was a pause.

"You?" She asked, well aware of the answer to her own question.

"Yeah." He offered her a smile, but it seemed forced.

Another pause. It lasted until the bullhead landed.

* * *

Rust hadn't been lying, the ruins were freaking massive. Winter looked around in shock at the sheer scale of it all. Ancient stone buildings and towers now crumbling away into relics of a bygone age. Stone streets made perilous by the thick coating of ice and snow and shattered walls and avenues…

This wasn't just some temple or stack of stones.

Atlas had brought them to the shattered remains of a city- preserved for ages by the frigid temperature and lack of human contact.

As soon as the last of the students had been unloaded, Captain Rust's voice filled the air around them, courtesy of the bullheads which still hovered in the air above them. "Alright everyone, listen up 'cause I'm only gonna say this once." He paused, making sure he had everyone's attention. "The rules of your initiation are simple: Atlesian Knights have been placed through this area, with their programming altered to engage in combat with anything that approaches it. Find and destroy as many as you can within the next twenty-four hours. But a word of warning: these ruins are a known nesting site for the grimm, so don't go thinking that this will be some kind of cake walk."

There was another pause as the bullhead changed altitude and position slightly, its nose swinging around as to point back towards the city of Atlas. "Your twenty-four hours start now."

And then the bullheads were gone, and some twenty-odd students were stranded in the middle of the Atlesian wilderness.


End file.
